Some of my more tech-savvy friends have long since bought an e-ink reader or a Nook Color. But this year, it seems like even my mom is interested in something to tote around that can do it all. I never thought we’d be talking about things like the Kindle Fire and Nook Tablet as gifts for her.

But I’m a fan of these hybrid devices. There’s something that just feels right about the 8-inch size. Unlike a smart phone, the regions on the screen are easy for me to tap. No more trying to click a link and feeling like I have lobster claws instead of hands. But as a lifetime paperback reader, the 8-inch size is in some ways preferable to the larger 10-inch tablet screens too. It feels more manageable to hold in different ways and read for a couple hours. I just can’t imagine doing that with a bigger screen.

That brings me to the case. There’s more and more options out there every day for this unique size (I love the book-inspired Dodocase). But in the spirit of giving handmade, why not make something yourself to go with that fancy new device? The one shown here comes from Ellen Baker, of the sewing blog The Long Thread. We really like the way she designs projects with that thick, “industrial,” felt–which should help protect your device a bit, too.